Transporter



Dec. 6, 1955 A. WULLSCHLEGER TRANSPORTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1951 Dec. 6, 1955 A. wuLLscHLEGER TRANSPORTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1951 Dec. 6, 1955 A. wULLscHLEGER TRANSPORTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 26, 1951 United States ce, intentes Dea e, 1955 TRANSPORTER August Wullschleger, Olten, Switzerland Application September 26, 1951, Serial No. 248,300

8 Claims. (Cl. 198-19) In the transporters hitherto known for the conveyance of either goods or passengers, two basic types are distinguished. In one of these basic types the suspension tackle of the container or car containing the goods or passengers to be transported is permanently secured to the traction member, for instance a traction cable, which traction member runs continuously or intermittently. In the former case the transport container or car must be loaded and unloaded whilst it is in motion, whilst in the latter case the braking and acceleration of the entire transporter system entailed by the periodic halts results in considerable wastage of power and reduces the capacity of the transporter. It is true that the permanent attachment of the suspension tackle to the traction member ensures less heavy stressing of the latter.

In the second type of embodiment the container is automatically or manually detached from the traction member for loading and unloading purposes, and is then recoupled to said traction member. This constant coupling and uncoupling entails, however, relatively heavy wear on the expensive wire cables which generally constitute the traction members. Moreover, the transfer of the suspension tackle on stationary rails necessitates the services of auxiliary staff, with the result that the operation of such a transporter is rendered more costly.

The object of the present invention is to combine the advantagesv of both systems without their drawbacks.

The annexed drawing illustrates diagrammatically a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawing:

Fig. l shows a transporter in plan;

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the transporter in elevation;

Fig. 3 shows a detail and Fig. 4 a variant.

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 show elevations similar to Fig. 2 of four modified embodiments,`and

Fig. 9 is a partial cross sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.

The circulating cableway shown in Fig. l exhibits the conventional cable sheavesl and 2, one at each end station. The traction member, e. g. a traction cable 3, is taken round said sheaves. In the embodiment illustrated, the traction cable serves simultaneously both as the carrying cable and as the traction cable, since the suspension tackle 4 of the transport container 5, which may also take the form of a passenger car,is permanently connected to the traction member by a clip 6. Disposed in the vicinity of sheave 1 is a deilecting device 7 for the traction member 3. The detlecting device (Fig. 2) has two guides 8 and Y 9 in each of which a sliding member, 10 and 11 respectively, is slidingly arranged. Said sliding members or slides are interconnected by a connecting member 12, e. g. `a wire cable. The wire cable 12 is guided over sheaves 13 mounted in the frame of the cable-deflecting arrangement 7. Also rotatably mounted in said cable-deecting arrangement are four deecting sheaves 14 to 17 for the traction member 3. The slides 104and 11 are each provided with a further dellecting sheave, 18 and 19 respectively. Where a dilerence in 'altitude has to be overcome, the traction member 3 preferably approaches the open stretch of the transporter over a guide roller 20.

One of the lower sheaves 13 is preferably replaced by a drum 22 tapering inwards at either end (Fig. 3). This drum is driven by a motor 24 via gearing 23. As Fig. 2 shows, the wire cable 12 coming from the sliding member 10 is taken round the drum to the other bottom sheave 13, round the latter back to the drum and then back to the same lower sheave and via the latter to the slide 11.

As Fig. 4 shows, it is also possible to provide two (or even more) sheaves 18 for guiding the traction member 3 in each of the two slides 10 and 11.

The following is the manner in which the described transporter functions:

As the traction member 3, which is set in motion by, for instance, the sheave 1 driven by the motor M, moves, the suspension tackle 4 travels round the sheave 1 and over the two sheaves 14 and 15. As soon as the clip 6 has left the sheave 15, an electrical circuit 31 is closed by the switch 30 operated by the clip 6. As a result, the motor Y 24 is switched on and the wire cable 12 accordingly, through the gearing 23 and the drum 22, set in motion in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 2). The slide 10 accordingly slides downwards in its guides 8, whilst the slide 11 is at the same time lifted in its guides 9. The sheave 18 consequently pulls the traction member 3 downwards between the sheaves 14 and 15, whilst the sheave 19, on rising, allows that part of the traction member 3 which is lapped round it to run off freely. Assuming that the traction member 3 moves forward in the direction of the arrow at a speed v, then the slide 10, with the sheave 18, will have to-move downwards at a speed v/ 2 in order to ensure that that portion of the traction member 3 which is suspended between the sheaves 15 and 16 will remain stationary to permit of loading or unloading. As soon, however, as the slide 10 reaches its lower, and therefore the slide 11 its upper end position, both slides stop, whereupon that portion of the traction member 3 which is suspended between the sheaves 15 and 16 is reset in motion. The traction member 3 lies in a straight line over the sheaves 16 and 17, whilst sheave 19 is located above the traction member 3. As the traction member 3 continues to move, therefore, the clip 6 passes without hindrance over the sheaves 16, 17 and 20. As soon as the clip 6 leaves the sheave 17 the gearing 23 is reversed, with the result that the slide 10 is moved upwards and the slide 11 downwards again, into the positions shown in the drawing. In this position, the clip 6 ofthe next suspension tackle 4 is able to slide over the sheaves 14 and 15, after negotiating which it likewise is halted between the sheaves 15 and 16.

Means are also provided to ensure that, as the sheave 18 is lowered, that section of the traction member 3 which is suspended between the sheaves 15 and 16 is not halted suddenly, thereby causing the container 5 to swing. At the beginning of the rotary movement of the drum 22, the wire cable 12 is at one end of said drum. As, however, this end has a smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion of the drum, the initial speed of the slide 10 is not v/2, but less than v/2, withvthe result that the suspension tackle 4 does not halt abruptly, but is gradually reduced in speed. When the wire cable 12 reaches the cylindrical portion of the drum 22, the slide 10 lowers at the speed v/2, with the result that the suspension tackle 4 remains stationary. As the drum 22 continues to rotate, the wire cable 12 reaches the tapered section of said drum at its other end, with the consequence that the suspension tackle with the container 5 is gradually set n motion and has reached the full speed v when the slide 10 reaches its lowermost position. l

Guidance of the sheave 18 in the manner shown in Fig. 5 will be found particularly expedient. Said sheave massig *Y l'is' hot'rotafablyted/oh the slide 10, but on a link encompasses a displacement of the slide 10 or 11 as the membeFtOTJThedink-member40inrturnr-s swivellinglyr* "maybm-w MMM-r Mr-rv r arranged on the slide 10. The axle 41 of the sheave 1S The invention can be used both in cases where the projects on atleastonesideintoa guide slotuflZA provided carrier cable also serves as the traction cable, and in in''theframe1,:whiel`l ft"enjrls""tth"e"` ott'i'r 5 cases where a separate traction cable is employed. The in a curve 42a`` j 4. Y n 'j only essential point is that the traction member, which V"On"thedownwardmovement, offtheslide'llLithlink may be a cable or a chain, can be locally halted, whereby member 40'is;"o'reachingthejurve ftzirfdeflectedfrfm t the suspension tackle and thetransporter cab or container its'vertical:positionintothe hqrizqntaljpg'sifio' "srrwii are likewise arrested.inrtheirzmotionl The duration of in thefdrawifngfTliisf arrange ent atr'd'sftwomateril' l0 such halt depends crith'eA legtlff'travel of the slides.

advantages "-Inthr'st'plac'e, theway'of the'sb. ve 18 The advantagelofthejnventionresides ntheiact that measured'in' verticaldirectionf deer' ses gradually, with the suspension/tackle no longerl has to be coupled to or within V7, the cable Soutsidef'the sheen/'e314 ai'id"?il7is' run. In this way the traction cable is given gentle treatentirelyV at'r'est'."A 'Thelengthwise -nrcwerrrent'voffthe tracf ment, and human labour can be economized through the tion member 3 is only inuencedfbifti "drive 'of 'the' fact that the slidesare displaced automatically.` I tis possheave' 1."Theforeeiexertdbthej'traeuonmem ers sb'letodesignfthgentireitransprrer'forfnlly'antomatie onthe'sheave 18jisjfurthermoretransmitted successi ely 2o operatie to 'the' frame'f 7j thatisf inthe same Jextent as' the tractro The 'two slides moving 1in .contraryj directions mayV 'also on sheave`-19 "of sliderrlll,.decre'asesl" The advantage f beisofcontr'olle'dthat'the jtransp'orter `container "'o'r vvcar this system is'that'theclsedsys of th'eeablelZ is apr; merely slowsjdownand ,reacleatatfthel loading and proximately'bralancedjinevery position.' "ThisjhasfanfeX-l disk'zh'a'rge'stations,` insteadlof' coming" to va complet'ehalt, tremely favour`able'effct1'on' the entire"drivf"sy`stem.` 25 should" the adhesion 'ofc-fable '3jon'jsheave f1 prove Needless to' say,"the"fsheave' 1 9vfisA guided in lthesa'm ins'iiicientfto' fpo'si'tively'"drive` the sheaves "14 and 17; way in a se'co'ndguide fsl'ot `421 Whatljclaimisf` Instead ofthe, endless traction ne'rber, it'i's'also'pos v1'; Ifra`transportation'deviceg'anjendlessexiblejtrac# sible t'o' use'fa ysystem 'offleversto'interconnectthe "two tioni"m'embfei',r `rotatableV sheave's'on-which said tractionl Vslides.10 andlll' Such'anarrangem'ent"issliownin Figf r6`.' 30 member yis mounted, means fordriving'said traction'mem- This ernbodirme/ntl is" sitablejfhdwever,"only the ber', fg'uide'j members'jinjengagementwithj said traction transport container `5 isl yrequired 'to'freman' 'stationary member,"l at leasttwo" of "said'fguide'j'members being only for avery short time." Infthis 'case vthe travel f the v groupedi together with a .stationfon 'the transportation' Slides jiorandn 'issue-rs A @meeting rodjjsos 13am betweenthem', agradeforeaeniofsaid'gide memarticulated to each offs'aid"slid'e's10ai1d '11the upper 35 ber'sf'substantially "a'nsverse'jto js'aidV transportation path,

the I lever-5,11," encompasses the upward' Vand "downward members "while correspondinglyf*decreasing the length of movement'` of'thesldesf10iA and .lfl'jpreviouslydescribed; the lo opvforn1ed*byV Vthefotlieii"guide rifernb'er;l whereby Another'riossbilityis to" aict'l'iat'efa'c'h'slideseparatelyA the' speed'lof 'the portion' 'ofA dieftractionr member betiad'fthersfgrerQrtrotetigni 15 estaba' ateelasfss.

'meenamnaar i members, pulleys rotatably mounted on said guide members for engagement with said traction member, at least two of said guide members being grouped together with a station on the transportation path between them, a guide for each of said guide members substantially transverse to said transportation path, a exible element connecting said guide members, guide means for said flexible element, a drum for winding said ilexible element, drive means for said drum, and automatic means for starting and stopping said drive means in dependence upon the movement of said traction member to slide said guide members along said guides to form said traction member into loops the combined total length of which is constant, while the direction of movement of a pair of said guide members is such as to increase the length of the loop formed by one of said two guide members while correspondingly decreasing the length of the loop formed by the other guide member, whereby the speed of the portion of the traction member between said two guide members may be varied independently of the speed of other portions of said traction member, said exible element connecting said guides being arranged to move the guides simultaneously in opposite directions.

4. A transportation device as set forth in claim 3, in which at least one end of said drum is tapered, said exible element being wound on said drum in such a way as to place it on said tapered end in both end positions of said guide members.

5. In a transportation device, an endless exible traction member, rotatable sheaves supporting said traction member, means for driving said traction member, at least two guide members, pulleys rotatably mounted on said guide members for engagement with said traction member, guides for said guide members, a lever having two arms, means connecting each of said two guide members to one end of said arms, means for oscillating said lever, and automatic means for actuating said oscillating means in dependence upon the movement of said traction member to slide said guide members along said guides to form said traction member into loops the combined total length of which is constant, while the direction of movement of a pair of said guide members is such as to increase the length of the loop formed by one of said two guide members while correspondingly decreasing the length of the loop formed by the other guide member, whereby the speed of the portion of the traction member between said two guide members may be varied independently of the speed of other portions of said traction member.

6. In a transportation device, an endless exible traction member, rotatable sheaves supporting said traction member, means for driving said traction member, at least two guide members, pulleys rotatably mounted on said guide members for engagement with said traction member, guides for said guide members, two synchronized electric motors, means operatively connecting each of said motors to one of said guide members, and automatic means for actuating said motors in dependence upon the movement of said traction member to slide said guide members along said guides to form said traction member into loops the combined total length of which is constant, while the direction of movement of a pair of said guide members is such as to increase the length of the loop formed by one of said two guide members while correspondingly decreasing the length of the loop formed by the other guide member, whereby the speed of the portion of the traction member between said two guide members may be Varied independently of the speed of other portions of said traction member.

7. In a transportation device, an endless flexible traction member, rotatable sheaves supporting said traction member, means for driving said traction member, at least two guide members, a slot in each of said guide members, a pulley for engagement with said traction member rotatably and slidably mounted in each of said slots, guide means for said pulleys said guide means being curved at one end, guides for said guide members, and means for sliding said guide members along said guides to form said traction member into loops the combined total length of which is constant, while the direction of movement of a pair of said guide members is such as to increase the length of the loop formed by one of said two guide members while correspondingly decreasing the length of the loop formed by the other guide member, whereby the speed of the portion of the traction member between said two guide members may be varied independently of the speed of other portions of said traction member.

8. In a transportation device, an endless exible traction member, rotatable sheaves supporting said traction member, means for driving said traction member, at least two guide members, a link member rotatably mounted on each of said guide members, a pulley for engagement with said traction member rotatably mounted on each of said link members, guide means for said pulleys, said guide means being curved at one end, guides for said guide members, and means for sliding said guide members along said guides to form said traction member into loops the combined total length of which is constant, while the direction of movement of a pair of said guide members is such as to increase the length of the loop formed by one of said two guide members while correspondingly decreasing the length of the loop formed by the other guide member, whereby the speed of the portion of the traction member between said two guide members may be varied independently of the speed of other portions of said traction member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,521,229 Clickner Dec. 30, 192A 1,606,166 Green Nov. 9, 1926 1,736,517 Baker Nov. 19, 1929 1,954,349 Dewey Apr. 10, 1934 2,240,214 Heidelmeyer Apr. 29, 1941 2,551,080 Allen May 1, 1951 2,552,743 Simpson May 15, 1951 

